Iranian University Students Join Protests Over Soaring Cost of Living
University students in Tehran have joined protests against the soaring cost of living, joining shopkeepers and bazaar merchants in expressing their concerns. Demonstrations occurred at four Tehran universities, with footage showing marches in central Tehran featuring slogans such as 'rest in peace Reza Shah.'
The Iranian rial has lost roughly 50% of its value against the dollar in 2025, with December inflation reaching 42.5% and food prices increasing by as much as 72%.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has called on the interior minister to listen to the legitimate demands of the protesters and announced plans to set up a government dialogue mechanism to engage protest leaders.
These protests represent the first major demonstrations since June's Israeli and US strikes on Iran amid ongoing sanctions and regional tensions. Iran's economy continues to face challenges under US sanctions imposed since 2018 and UN sanctions that were reimposed in September.
